Broccoli Cheese “Meatballs”

by Michelle on May 15, 2013

I am thankful in so many ways for my delightful little boy and the fact that he is an excellent eater is no exception. This kid loves food, which makes my heart swell with pride. But despite the fact that he eats pretty much what we eat, I do find that it’s much easier to get him to choke down a vegetable if it’s “disguised” as something else. He’ll eat kale if it’s part of a pesto topped pizza (or pizz, as he calls it) or peas if they’re tossed in with pasta, but often times if I serve him a veggie straight up it either ends up on the floor or remains untouched on his plate. This has happened several times with broccoli (unless, of course, it’s on pizza).

I started thinking about ways I could get Charlie to eat broccoli and I had seen various mentions of making little fritters or nuggets out of it. Since he loves meatballs, the veggie kind included, I decided to concoct a version of broccoli “meatballs” using ingredients I had on hand. I am happy to say they were a success (for all members of the family). The only addition I might make would be to add a clove of fresh garlic. I left it out because I didn’t want the flavor to put Charlie off, but if adults are eating them, go for it. These are super easy to make and will freeze and reheat well. What more could you ask for in a toddler meal?

Broccoli Cheese “Meatballs”

Makes 12-13 “meatballs”

1 16 ounce bag of organic frozen broccoli florets (you can also use one head of fresh broccoli)

1 cup Italian style breadcrumb

1 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded

1/4 cup parmigiano, grated

3 eggs, beaten

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Steam the broccoli until just cooked through. Let cool, then roughly chop. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Form into small balls and place on a baking sheet. Bakes 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

This post is part of Food Network’s Sensational Sides series. For more ideas on how to cook with cheese, check out the blogs below:

About Me
I love to cook. I love to eat. And if friends and family are around to enjoy these pleasures with me, it is a very happy day indeed. But while I’ve been eating all my life, it wasn’t until a couple of years ago that I began to pay attention to where my food came from... More »